Is The GE Centricity MIPS Reporting Tool (CQR) Right For Your Practice?

The first reporting year of The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, otherwise known as MACRA, is completed. This program was new for everyone in 2017 and required a great deal of work to understand and setup the program. Many practices thought the GE Centricity MIPS reporting tool, otherwise known as the CQR tool, was the only option available for reporting.

In a previous blog, I wrote about areas to consider when selecting a reporting method for MACRA. One of the topics discussed in this blog was using your EHR vendor as a reporting mechanism. While this method may work well for some, it may also create workflow challenges for your practice. There are other options available to you.

Don’t Change Your Workflow – Fine Tune It!

Often times, the biggest issue associated with implementing new programs is the amount of change that must happen within the organization. We believe that technology should work for your practice and not your practice working for the technology. If you already have a workflow in place that is working for your practice, you shouldn’t have to change it to capture the correct data for reporting purposes.

It is understandable that vendors need to ensure standards of implementation. However, are those standards really right for your practice? If not, why must you change your workflow or system to accommodate the vendor standards. Our approach to the MACRA implementation is to have a standard but allow it to be customized to fit into your current workflow and setup.

GE Centricity MIPS Reporting Tool (CQR)

Within the standard GE Centricity install, there is a reporting option that is available to your practice. This tool is called the Clinical Quality Reporting or CQR Tool. This is the GE Centricity MIPS reporting tool. There are several pros and cons to this tool.

Pros

It is easily accessible to your practice from within the EHR

Many practices are using this tool

GE Centricity supports this product and method

There are patient drill down reports available

Cons

Often times does not reflect the actual work your practice is doing

This is because your workflows or setup do not meet the requirements of the tool.

The specifications are given to you for how the Clinical Quality Reporting tool captures information and you must change your workflow or setup to meet those requirements.

The dashboards are not always simple and easy to read

It is difficult to export data in a meaningful way to review with providers

Alternatives to The Clinical Quality Reporting (CQR) Tool

Many practices are under the impression that this is the only way to report and do not realize that there are other options available to them. The GE Centricty CQR tool may be the right option for you but it is always good to know that you have alternatives when necessary.

In the early stages of MIPS planning, we felt it was really important to leverage the work that practices were already doing and to expand on that, not force them to change it. We also wanted practices to have a good alternative to the standard GE Centricity MIPS reporting option.

We developed a close partnership with a Qualified Clinical Data Registry to submit data directly from the GE Centricity EMR to their registry. All of the data is flowing behind the scenes and the practice does not need to adjust their workflow or setup. This allows the practice to focus on what is important, the overall success of the practice and not the details of how the data is getting to the reporting tool. As with any product, there are pros and cons.

Pros

No need to adjust your system to accommodate requirements

Accurate clinical data that could also be combined with claims or other data when needed

Such as data out of pathology system or from another system

You control the information reported, not your vendor

Access to industry experts in MACRA

Dashboards that can easily be exported and sent to providers for review

Patient Specific reports for reviewing key clinical information

The ability to easily calculate your MIPS Score based on groups or individuals

Cons

This method is a variation from the standard GE Centricity MIPS reporting Tool

Reports are not located within the GE Centricity product

Additional technical configuration is required for data to flow to registry

It is important the practices have options to fit their specific needs. One method of reporting may work well for one practice and may not meet the needs of another. MIPS is complicated enough so anything that can be done to simply the process is a win for everyone.

Client Testimonials

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We have been happy Health1 clients for over 9 years. The Health1 team is superb: extraordinarily competent, available and solution-driven. They keep us running.

Mitch Feldman, MD, FAAP, CIO, Patriot Pediatrics

We have been a Client of Health1 since 2007. Recently I discovered that our contract wasn't officially or 24/7 service. I have always made service calls off hours and always receive a quick response, I just assumed I had 24/7 service because that is what I get. Their knowledge of CPS is second to none. I highly recommend them.

Maureen Stanton, Practice Administrator, Agility Orthopedics

I have had IT support from Health1 Technologies since their start in 2005. Rahul Patel, Jen Monahan and their team are knowledgeable, responsive and professional. Although I suspect they have other clients, I always was made to feel as though I was the only one!

Marsha Munroe, Practice Administrator, North Shore ENT

North Shore Pediatrics, PC has partnered with Health1 for over a decade. The response time for emergency situations has been phenomenal and the on-going support and advice on future technology needs has always been accurate and focused on the needs of our practice. We could not be happier with our partnership with Health1.

David Smith, Practice Administrator, North Shore Pediatrics

Over the last 10 years, Health 1 has been our trusted partner. We have come to rely on them to host, manage and maintain our most critical data. I have in the past and will in the future continue to highly recommend all their services.

Jessica Hennessey, COO, Pediatrics West

Health1 is the first place I go when I encounter a Centricity problem that HAS to have an easier way or another solution. They always seem to have the answer I need. They are always accessible! Their medical billing experience helps them understand the problems I present and find a solution. They are my safety net!

Stephanie Gill, Billing Office Manager, Webster Orthopedics

We have office hours every weekend and we have to have a firm that can support whenever we need it. We have been with Health 1 for over 7 years and have never looked elsewhere.

Kathy Riley, Practice Administrator, Pediatrics Inc.

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